We work on a diverse range including office fit-outs and new offices, industrial units and warehouse facilities, retail spaces, community buildings, educational facilities, and mixed-use developments. Our portfolio spans the M4 corridor from Bristol to Carmarthen, working with private businesses, local authorities, property developers, and not-for-profit organisations. Each project is approached with commercial awareness, understanding your business objectives alongside architectural excellence.

Standard commercial applications take 8 weeks, though larger developments often take 13 weeks or are subject to planning committees, which meet monthly. Major developments may require Environmental Impact Assessments or Section 106 agreements, adding months to the process. Pre-application discussions with planning officers (which we strongly recommend) can significantly streamline formal applications. In our experience across Welsh local authorities, well-prepared applications with strong planning rationale get approved faster.

Absolutely. Feasibility studies are crucial for commercial projects to understand viability before significant investment. We assess planning constraints, site conditions, development potential, spatial requirements, approximate costs, and program timelines. This gives you the information needed to make informed business decisions about whether to proceed, adjust scope, or explore alternative sites. We provide fixed-fee feasibility services separate from full project appointments.

Yes. We can evaluate potential sites against your operational requirements, assessing planning prospects, access and servicing potential, visibility and prominence, neighbouring uses and compatibility, development constraints, and relative value. If you're considering multiple sites, we provide comparative analysis to support your decision-making. Our understanding of South Wales planning policies and local authority priorities helps identify sites with good development potential.

Change of Use requires planning permission and must comply with current Building Regulations for the new use. Key considerations include structural capacity for new loadings, fire safety and means of escape requirements, building services and utilities capacity, parking and access requirements, and whether the new use aligns with local planning policies. Some changes are more straightforward (office to residential often has planning support), while others face more hurdles (industrial to residential may face contamination and noise issues).

Our fees are tailored to each project's complexity, scale, and overall budget. For smaller commercial projects (office refits, modest warehouse extensions), fees typically range from 7-10% of construction costs. For larger developments and commercial projects with substantial budgets, fees can be as low as 2.5% of construction costs, reflecting economies of scale. We're always open to discussing and negotiating fees based on your project's specific requirements and overall budget. We provide detailed fee proposals showing exactly what's included at each project stage, with payment tied to deliverables. We understand commercial realities and structure fees to deliver value while ensuring we can provide the quality service your project deserves.

Industrial warehouses: £800-£1,200/sqm for basic shed construction, more for office content and higher specifications. Offices: £1,800-£2,800/sqm depending on finish quality and services complexity. Retail: £1,500-£2,500/sqm. These are approximate construction costs and vary significantly based on specification, site conditions, and current market conditions. We provide detailed cost guidance specific to your project during feasibility and design stages.

We combine design excellence with commercial pragmatism. This means designing efficient buildings that minimise wasted space, specifying appropriately for use (not over-specifying where unnecessary), considering whole-life costs not just initial build costs, designing for efficient construction to control program and costs, and understanding value engineering – knowing where cost savings can be made without compromising quality or functionality. Our experience with commercial clients means we understand business cases and return on investment.

Beyond obvious construction and professional fees, budget for: Section 106 contributions or Community Infrastructure Levy, utility connections and upgrades (can be substantial), site investigations and contamination remediation, party wall agreements, planning consultant fees if the site is contentious, business rates from practical completion, letting/marketing costs, and typically 10-15% contingency for unforeseen issues. We help you develop comprehensive budgets early to avoid nasty surprises.

Potentially yes. Welsh Government and local authorities offer various schemes including business rate relief for certain developments, grants for energy efficiency improvements, support for developments in enterprise zones or regeneration areas, Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants for heat pumps, and planning fee reductions for certain sustainable developments. We stay current with available schemes and can advise which might apply to your project, though you'll need specialist funding advisors for detailed applications.

Commercial buildings must work operationally and financially first. We start by understanding your business processes, spatial requirements, operational efficiency, and budget realities. Design excellence then comes from solving these practical challenges elegantly and creating buildings that enhance your business operations while also projecting the right image to customers, clients, and employees. Good commercial architecture delivers both function and form.

For a modest warehouse extension or office refit: 8-12 months total (2 months design, 2 months approvals, 1 month procurement, 3-6 months construction). For new commercial buildings: 18-30 months (3-4 months design and feasibility, 3-6 months planning and approvals, 2 months procurement and tender, 10-18 months construction). Large mixed-use developments can take 3-5 years. We provide detailed programs showing critical milestones and when you can expect to occupy.

Yes, efficient space planning is crucial for commercial projects. We analyse your operational requirements, department interactions, staff numbers and growth projections, meeting and collaborative space needs, storage requirements, and Building Regulations requirements (means of escape, daylighting, ventilation). We provide multiple layout options testing different configurations, showing efficient use of space that supports your business operations while creating positive working environments.

We design with adaptability in mind: structural grids that allow future subdivision or opening up, services infrastructure with spare capacity, floor loadings that permit various uses, open-plan layouts that can be reconfigured easily, and modular approaches to expansion. We also discuss phasing strategies – perhaps building core facilities now with planned extensions later. Understanding your 5-10 year business plans helps us design buildings that support your growth.

Yes, we have extensive experience working under design and build procurement routes. We can develop employer's requirements to tender stage, ensuring your vision and standards are captured before contractor appointment, or provide novated services transferring to the contractor's team post-contract. We can also provide monitoring services on your behalf ensuring the contractor delivers what they promised. Each approach has pros and cons which we explain clearly.

Energy costs are substantial over building life. Key strategies include: high-performance insulation and airtightness, efficient heating/cooling systems (heat pumps, heat recovery), LED lighting with daylight sensors and presence detection, natural ventilation where suitable reducing mechanical systems, solar panels (particularly good for daytime industrial/office energy use), and smart building management systems. We model energy performance and show projected annual costs for different design scenarios, helping you make informed decisions.

BREEAM is the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method – a sustainability rating for buildings. It's not always legally required but often expected by local authorities for larger developments, and increasingly demanded by tenants and investors. Achieving BREEAM adds costs (assessment fees, enhanced specifications) but delivers reduced running costs, enhanced lettability, and higher property values. We're experienced with BREEAM projects and can advise whether it makes commercial sense for your development.

Almost certainly yes for customer-facing businesses and office developments. Planning policies increasingly require EV charging provision, tenants and employees expect it, and it future-proofs your development. The infrastructure (cable routes and electrical capacity) is cheaper to install during construction than retrofitting later. With the 2030 ban on new petrol/diesel vehicles, EV charging is becoming essential infrastructure, not optional. We design electrical systems with adequate capacity and plan logical charging point locations.

Industrial buildings present unique challenges – large volumes, variable heating/cooling needs, and often substantial process energy. We focus on: high-performance insulation (especially roofs where heat loss is greatest), efficient high-bay lighting (LED with daylight links), natural ventilation where processes allow, zoned heating targeting occupied areas not the entire warehouse, destratification fans preventing heat accumulation at high level, and airtightness in temperature-controlled facilities. Even modest improvements significantly impact operating costs over time.

It varies by measure. LED lighting might pay back in 2-4 years, enhanced insulation in 5-10 years, solar panels in 8-15 years, and heat pumps in 10-20 years depending on energy prices and government incentives. However, these calculations often miss the full picture: improved lettability, higher rents, better staff retention in comfortable buildings, reduced maintenance, and protection against rising energy costs. We provide whole-life cost analysis showing total cost of ownership, not just initial investment.

Recent and upcoming changes include significantly improved energy efficiency standards (Part L), higher standards for overheating and ventilation (Part O), improved accessibility requirements (Part M), enhanced fire safety following Grenfell, and upcoming regulations on embodied carbon. These typically increase construction costs by 5-15% but deliver better performing buildings. We stay current with regulations and design to upcoming standards where possible, future-proofing developments.

Building Regulations approval ensures construction meets safety and performance standards. We prepare detailed technical drawings and specifications, submit to Building Control (either local authority or approved inspector), receive approval before construction starts, and coordinate inspections at critical construction stages (foundations, drainage, structure, completion). Most commercial projects require structural engineer and services engineer input. We coordinate this entire process, ensuring smooth approvals without delays to your program.

Larger commercial buildings, buildings with complex layouts, or buildings with non-standard uses often require fire engineering input beyond basic Building Regulations compliance. Fire engineers provide travel distance analysis, smoke control strategies, sprinkler design, structural fire protection specifications, and means of escape analysis. This is specialist work we coordinate alongside our architectural services. Early fire engineering input often identifies more cost-effective solutions than trying to force compliance later.

Section 106 agreements are planning obligations requiring developers to mitigate their development's impact on local infrastructure. For commercial projects, this might include highway improvements, public realm contributions, affordable housing contributions (in mixed-use schemes), or public transport initiatives. These can substantially impact viability – sometimes hundreds of thousands of pounds. We help assess likely Section 106 requirements during feasibility, so you understand the full development cost upfront.

Building Regulations Part M requires reasonable provision for disabled access and use. For commercial buildings, this typically means: accessible entrances with level or ramped access, accessible WCs, adequate circulation space, appropriate door widths, suitable reception and customer service areas, and sometimes lifts or platform lifts in multi-storey buildings. Requirements vary by building use and scale. We design inclusively from the start, integrating accessibility seamlessly rather than bolting it on as an afterthought.

Traditional procurement: you appoint separate designers (us) and contractors, we complete design, contractors price it, construction proceeds with us monitoring quality. You have more design control but carry more risk. Design-and-build: you appoint a contractor who delivers both design and construction, often faster and with cost certainty, but you have less design control. There are hybrid approaches too. We advise which suits your priorities – control, cost certainty, speed, or quality.

We provide contract administration services during construction – reviewing contractor submissions, inspecting workmanship, certifying payments, and managing variations. For comprehensive project management (coordinating all consultants, managing tendering, detailed program and cost tracking), you might need a dedicated project manager, which we can recommend. Some clients prefer we lead the team; others want separate PM appointments. We're flexible and work within whatever structure suits you.

Commercial projects typically require multiple consultants – structural engineers, M&E engineers, fire engineers, planning consultants, and sometimes acoustic engineers, transport consultants, or landscape architects. As lead consultant, we coordinate design information, manage interfaces between disciplines, chair coordination meetings, identify clashes before construction, and provide coordinated drawings to contractors. This coordination is crucial for avoiding expensive problems during construction.

Yes, we provide fit-out services for businesses moving into existing commercial space. This involves understanding your operational requirements, designing efficient layouts within the existing shell, specifying appropriate finishes and services, coordinating with landlord requirements and building management, obtaining necessary approvals, and delivering completed fit-out design for tendering. We understand the commercial realities of lease terms, landlord obligations, and dilapidations.

If tender returns exceed budget, we have several options: value engineering to reduce costs while maintaining functionality (we identify where savings are possible), phasing to deliver the project in stages, adjusting specifications (perhaps reducing finish quality in back-of-house areas), or redesigning elements for more economical construction. We work collaboratively with you and quantity surveyors to find the right balance. Our experience means we usually avoid this situation through realistic cost planning throughout design.